Continuous bleaching range control



March 19, 1957 c. A. DAVIS ET AL CONTINUOUS BLEAOHINO RANGE CONTROL 2 She'ets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 2, 1955 LLZD Zwama WDOZON IOZ Wl J INVENTOR CLAUDE A. 0A VLS` JAMES. E NEWTON BY KM? ATTORNEY C. A. DAVIS ETAL CONTINUOUS BLEACHING RANGE CONTROL l March 19, 1957 2,785,559

Filed Feb. 2,41955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 will? INVENTO CLAUDE A. {DAV/s JAMES E. NEwTo/v ATTORNEY United States Patent O CONTINUOUS BLEACHING RANGE CONTROL Claude A. Davis, Danville, Va., and James E. Newton, Clemson, S. C.

Application February 2, 1953, Serial No. 338,294 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-173) (Filed under Rule 47(a) and 35 U. S. C. 116) The present invention relates to control of the units of a continuous bleaching range. More specifically, it relates to a stop motion for use in moving textile fabric in rope form from storage containers to driven units used in the continuous wet processing of textiles.

In the preparation of cotton textile fabrics for dyeing and finishing, it is a common practice in some mills to use the so-called continuous peroxide bleaching system. Such a bleaching system includes a series of storage units, called J-boxes because of their shape, for timing the chemical treatment given the fabric. Between each storage unit and the next succeeding storage unit is a driven unit including a series of driven devices in synchronism with one another. One of these units may include a washing device for Washing out chemicals from a prior treatment, a saturating device for applying the next chemical treatment, and an advancing reel for moving the saturated fabric into the next succeeding storage container for another timed reaction. Each J-box may contain thousands of yards of fabric which are stored there for as much as an hour while fabric is continuously fed into the-long leg of the J-box and continuously withdrawn from the short leg at high speed.

A typical system includes three J-boxes, one for storing enzyme-saturated fabric to remove starch, one for storing caustic-treated fabric to remove other undesirable matter from the cotton, and one for storing peroxidetreated fabric to complete bleaching.

The processing to which this invention relates is carried out with the fabric in rope form. Even though great care is exercised in laying the rope form fabric into J-boxes, frequent knots, snarls and tangles of fabric are encountered as it is withdrawn from the outlet at the short leg of the J-box. Withdrawal of the fabric is normally accomplished by a separate advancing reel but it may be done by the pull exerted from the rolls of the washing unit. If a knot of fabric is carried directly into the washer, either the fabric is broken or the washer rolls are broken, or both. In either event, there is a delay in processing which is extremely costly because ranges of these processing units involve a high capital expenditure and depend upon high eiiiciency for economical justification.

One object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of continuous textile bleaching ranges.

Another object of the inventionis provision of a stop motion particularly adapted for use between the delivery end of a fabric storage J-box and an advancing unit for removing fabric in rope form from the J-box.

Other objects will be more readily apparent from the complete specification and accompanying drawings.

It has now been found that when means for detecting knots and run-outs are positioned at the outlet of each J- box and adapted to stop only the next succeeding driven unit, range operators are permitted to untangle the knot or sew the loose ends and restart that particular unit without interfering with any of the other units and without halting the continuity of the over-all-process. Thus,

the efficiency of the continuous bleaching ranges for wet processing of textiles in preparation for dyeing and tinishing has been greatly improved with a consequent saving and higher production rate.

A preferred mechanism used to accomplish the control of continuously moving fabrics includes an open fork riding astride the fabric as it emerges from the outlet on the short leg of the J-box. The fork is spring pressed opposite the direction of fabric movement to a position traversing the line of fabric travel. As a knot of fabric comes out of the J-box, it hits the fork and the fork moves with the knot against the spring pressure until both move far enough for the knot to be released through the open end of the fork. The fork movement trips a switch which is designed electrically to stop the next succeeding driven unit.

In a further preferred embodiment of a speciiic mechanism of this invention, a pivoted fork is mounted astride the fabric at the outlet mouth of the J-box, so that a fabric knot coming out will pivot it against a spring to permit the knot to pass. At the same time, the fork movement will trip a switch to deactivate the next driven unit. Mounted adjacent to and pivotable with the fork is a feeler arm adapted to pivot across the fork to detect fabric break-outs or run-outs. With this combination, efficiency is kept at a high level because driven units are protected from breakage by knots and run-outs are detected in time to prevent the necessity for rethreading the fabric in washers and other devices of the driven units.

The invention can be more clearly understood by reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of atypical continuous bleaching range constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one set of detector units affixed in operative position at one J-box outlet; and

Fig. 3 is a section enlarging a part of Fig. 2 to show the details of the detector unit construction.

Referring now to that form of the invention shown in the block diagram of Fig. l, there are alternate storage units 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and driven units 30, 31, 32, 33, synchronized within themselves. Fabric in rope form is continuously stored in J-boxes 21, 22 and 23 and each driven unit is operated continuously except for run-outs, breakdowns, and the like.

Each synchronous driven unit is made up of one or more operational devices which have been indicated as washers or saturators in Fig. l and fabric advancing reels, no-t shown, for bringing the fabric to the operational units and carrying the fabric to where it is laid in the next succeeding J-boX.

In the bleaching range shown, moving fabric is saturated with enzyme in one part of driven unit 30 and advanced to J-box 21 by means of a reel, not shown, which is another part of unit 30. Another reel, not shown, a part of driven unit 31, pulls the fabric out of the short leg of the J-box and carries it to the washer and saturator where the enzyme is Washed out and the fabric is saturated with caustic.

At the mouth of J-box 21, a detector unit 41 is positioned where it will detect either knots of fabric or fabric run-outs. Detection of either a knot or a runout sends electrical signals to relay 51 where a circuit operating the entire synchronous driven unit 31 is opened to halt that unit. No other units are affected.

The distance from the detector unit 451 to the first advancing reel of the synchronous driven unit 31 is sufficient so that momentum of the driven unit does not carry the knot or the end of the run-out into the reel or the Washer after the circuit is opened.

From synchronous driven unit 31, fabric is laid into storage J-box 22. A fabric advancing reel of driven unit 32 withdraws fabric from the short leg of J-box 22 through a detector unit 42 of the same construction and for the same purpose as detector unit 41. The relay 52 is responsive to signals from detector unit d2 and halts only driven unit 32, without interfering with driven units 3i); 31 and 33. Synchronous driven unit 32 includes a Washer for removing caustic and a saturator for applying hydrogen peroxide for bleachinf. A reel, not shown, which is a part of driven unit 32, lays the peroxide saturated fabric in `t-box 23.

A fabric advancing reel of driven unit 33 removes bleached fabric from J-box 23 through detector unit 43, which is connected with relay 53 for halting synchronous driven unit 33 upon detection of a fabric knot or a runout. Fabric washed in synchronous driven unit 33 is carried to storage for further processing.

It is particularly important that each detector is operaoly connected with only one synchronous driven unit so that the entire continuous bleaching range is in operation at all times, except for the particular place where difficulty is encountered. Thus the difculty can be rapidly overcome without delaying the continuity of the process. While this invention has been described with particular rererence to that form of textile processing where it appears to have its greatest application, it will be understood that the invention. is applicable to other textile processing apparatus wherein textiles are moved in rope form from one processing unit to another. The electrical systems for accomplishing the purpose of this invention are of conventional design and can be readily tho-sen from available supplies by anyone skilled in the art.

Referring now to that detailed form of the preferred detector mechanism. shown in Fig 2, the top of the short leg of a J-box is indicated generally at 11@ and the outlet mouth of the J-box is shown at 112. Fabric moving in rope form from the short leg of the J-box to the next succeeding sy ronous driven unit is indicated at 114. detector unit is mounted on the mouth of the J-hox by a support 116 fastened by welding or any other suitable means. A hinge indicated generally at 11S has two wings 12d and 122. Wing 12@ is rigidly fixed onto the vertical arm of support 116 and serves as a supporting wingfor the entire hinge and detector unit. A stop 12dis mounted perpendicular to that part of Wing 12@ nearest the pivot of the hinge. A spring, not shown, surrounds the hinge pin and forces wing 122 towards Wing A23, -as limited by the positioning of stop 12d. Positioned in extension of' wing 122 is a spacer arm 126, which terminates in a fork t28. The entire detector unit is positioned so that the fork runs astride the fabric as it moves from the 'rt-box outlet to the next succeeding synchronous driven unit. The fork tines are across and generally perpendicular to the line of fabric travel. The pressure exerted by the hinge spring tends to press the fork opposite the direction of fabric movement.

rihe exact angle or" the fork with respect to the fabric tra el and the exact angle of the hinge axis with respect to the fork are generally the same, but both must be adapted so that when a knot of moving fabric hits the fork, the fork will move with the knot to a position which will enable the knot to continue its path towards the next succeedfng synchronous driven unit without breaking or in any way harming the detector unit. A switch i3d is positioned on stop 12d with a spring pressed actuating lever 132 extending across the end of stop 124 for actuation upc-n release by movement of wing 122 and fork 12S. An abutment 1.34, positioned on wing 122 is adapted to engage lever 132 and hold it against its spring pressure during normal range operation.

in operation, the fabric normally moves through fork 12d without moving it in any direction. It' a snarl, knot or tangle of fabric comes out of a. .t-box, it will hit fork t2@ and will pivot it and wing 122 about hinge 118 away from stop 12d. 'this movement carries abutment 13d away from lever 132, which is released to actuate switch 130. A signal is sent to the appropriate relay and a circuit is opened to stop the next succeeding driven unit. The momentum of the synchronous driven unit will carry the knot on some additional 3 to l() feet, but the pivotal movement of the fork and wing permits the knot to slide out the open end of the fork and continue on towards the driven unit as it stops. It is of primary importance that the fork be hinged or otherwise adapted for movement with knots of fabric, so that they can be released as as they have been detected.

In a preferred form of the invention, a run-out feeler arm is included as a part of the detector unit. As illustratcd best in Fig. 3, a feeler arm 15b is pivotally mounted on wing 122. A spring 152 tends to carry the feeler arm to the dotted line position indicated at 15061. Microswitches 154i and 156 serve both to limit the arc of rotation of the feeler arm and to close circuits for permitting the next synchronous driven unit to operate.

in operation, as fabric moves through fork 128, it hoids part of feeler arm 15d against micro-switch 154 and the remainder lays along the spacer arm and base of fork 12S. if the fabric breaks out or runs out, there is nothing to hold feeler arm 15d and spring 152 urges it across the fork to position 15de. Release of pressure on micro-switch 154 trips a relay and immediately halts the next succeeding driven unit. if the relay is reset and it is desired to run the unit without the run-out detector, feeler arm 15d can be left in position 15th: and micro-switch 156 will be closed to permit the unit to run.

By placing the run-out feeler arm on the downstream side of fork 123, it is protected from knots and snarls so that it has an exceptionally long life.

From this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other spring arrangements and electrical connections can be associated with a pivoted feeler arm mounted on Wing 122 to accomplish the electrical signaling in response to fabric detection. It will also be obvious that the specific switch 13@ and actuation mechanisrns 132 and are only examples of a large number of devices which could be adapted by one skilled in the art to the accomplishment of the same purpose. Likewise, the nature of stop 124 can be simplified, or altered, as appears consiste-nt with good engineering practice. While the hinge mechanism shown is the preferred construction, it is Within the skill of the art to use a different hinge and a diferent spring to accomplish a satisfactory mounting of a fork. Likewise, the hinge need not necessarily be on a vertical axis as shown, but could be on a horizontal axis in a construction wherein the spacer arm would be positioned in extension of the fork tines.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A stop motion detector unit for detecting obstructions in a moving strand, comprising a base, a fork pivotally mounted on said base and having one tine adapted to ride on each side of said strand, means biasing the fork opposite the direction of strand movement, said fork having a rst positio-n assumed during normal operation and a second position to which it is moved by an obstruction in said strand, a stop motion actuator adapted to be actuated upon movement of the fork to said second position, and the tines of said fork, when in said second position, forming -an acute angle with said strand whereby'the obstruction on said strand can slide off said fork without damaging said unit.

2. In a strand treating apparatus including storage means for said strand and ldriving means for positively removing said strand from said storage means, an obstruction detector unit disposed between said driving means and said storage means outlet, said detector comprising, a base, a stop motion actuator mounted on said base, ya fork mounted on said base and having tines norm-ally astride said strand, said fork being movable to a detecting position by an obstruction on said strand, means connecting said fork to said actuator to operate said' actuator when said fork moves to said detecting position, the tines of said fork, when in said detecting position, extending generally toward said driving means to permit said obstruction to slide over said tines and oi said fork Without damaging said detector unit.

3. In .fa strand treating Vapparatus including storage means for said strand and driving means for positively removing said strand frorn said storage means, a knot detector unit disposed between said driving means and said storage means outlet, said detector comprising, a base, a stop motion actuator mounted on said base, a detecting member mounted on said base and normally engaging said strand, said detecting member being movable to a detecting position by an obstruction on said strand, means References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,610 Mishcon Sept. 29, 1936 2,079,341 Wachsman May 4, 1937 2,084,189 Bulford June 15, 1937 2,482,497 Miller Sept. 20, 1949 2,521,440 Bannon Sept. 5, 1950 

